Airborne pollutants can be toxic to marine algaeBy Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI),
12:30 PM Thu 19 Mar 2009
Plankton are a critical component of Earth’s climate system: as part of their life cycle, they draw carbon dioxide out of the air and transfer it into the deep sea.
A newly published paper by ocean scientists shows that airborne particles off the continents can have deadly effect on some marine phytoplankton. ...[more]

First ever whale sedation enables rescue effortBy Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI),
7:03 PM Sun 15 Mar 2009
For the first time ever, a North Atlantic right whale that had been severely entangled in fishing gear, was administered a sedation mixture that made it possible for rescuers to remove 90 percent of the entanglement. ...[more]

Being a bit 'fat' may spell the difference between life and deathBy ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies,
1:22 PM Sun 15 Mar 2009
Being a bit fat may spell the difference between life and death if you’re a coral facing a bleaching crisis. With the world’s coral reefs facing bleaching almost every year by the middle of the century as the oceans warm, a team of international scientists has revealed for the first time how corals can survive or perish in the face of the climatic onslaught. ...[more]

'So long and thanks for all the plankton,' say Antarctic whalesBy ,
2:45 PM Fri 13 Mar 2009
The flagship German research vessel of the European Union and her science crew of 50 scientists from Germany, India, and around the world have just finished a controversial project to give iron to the Antarctic Ocean, which they claim has been depleted from the world's oceans by CO2 emissions. Here they tell the story ...[more]

Sailing for the planet - the adventures they seekBy Nancy Knudsen, ,
7:02 AM Tue 10 Mar 2009
David de Rothschild, a sometime polar explorer and all-round adventurer, and one of the Rothschild banking family, is in good company as an environmentalist who makes his point dramatically with his latest sailing project. ...[more]

Algae could fuel cars and jobsBy CSIRO,
7:17 PM Mon 9 Mar 2009
The production of biodiesel from algae could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help to address future fuel shortages and create jobs in rural areas.
Dr Tom Beer and his team discovered the humble organisms’ green credentials during a detailed life-cycle analysis of the benefits of algal biodiesel. ...[more]

New Shark Initiatives included in Shark Meshing Program ReviewBy NSW Minister Ian Macdonald,
11:50 AM Thu 5 Mar 2009
The NSW State Government is looking at adopting a range of new scientifically-based measures as part of its review into the NSW Shark Meshing (Bather Protection) Program. ...[more]

Coral disease found to have similar MO to choleraBy ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies,
6:50 PM Wed 25 Feb 2009
The complexities of coral disease are starting to be unravelled with the key revelation that a similar mechanism that causes cholera in humans may be causing White Syndrome (WS) in coral. ...[more]

Natural Iron locks atmospheric carbon dioxide into the World's OceansBy WHOI Media Relations,
8:36 PM Mon 23 Feb 2009
An experiment to study the effects of naturally deposited iron in the Southern Ocean has filled in a key piece of the puzzle surrounding iron’s role in locking atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) in the ocean. Scientists have generally accepted the fact that biological productivity in large areas of the Southern Ocean is limited by the supply of iron, an important micronutrient for phytoplankton. ...[more]

Interest in Australian-made fuels increased AIMEX presence in DubaiBy AIMEX,
12:48 PM Wed 18 Feb 2009
Australian marine manufacturers and service providers will again have strong representation at the Dubai International Boat Show, 3-7 March, via their presence within the Australian Pavilion, organized by the Australian International Marine Export Group (AIMEX). ...[more]

Aerosols – their part in our rainfallBy CSIRO,
11:20 AM Tue 17 Feb 2009
Aerosols may have a greater impact on patterns of Australian rainfall and future climate change than previously thought. Aerosols are fine particles suspended in the atmosphere. Sources of human-generated aerosols include industry, motor vehicles and vegetation burning. Human-generated aerosols have long been known to exert a cooling effect on climate. ...[more]

Nemo won't be coming home as the world’s oceans acidifyBy ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies,
3:41 PM Sun 8 Feb 2009
Nemo, the lovable clownfish of movie fame, may be unable to find his way home as the world’s oceans acidify due to human carbon emissions. Now, say the researchers, every time we start a car or turn on the lights, a third or more of the carbon dioxide we emit ends up in the ocean, turning its waters imperceptibly but inevitably more acidic. ...[more]

The Great Barrier Reef stars in Google Earth's OceanBy ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies,
10:18 PM Wed 4 Feb 2009
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, its wonders and its battle for survival, are a star attraction of the world’s latest internet sensation, Ocean in Google Earth ...[more]

Bacterial pathogens and rising temperatures threaten Coral healthBy Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution,
1:23 PM Tue 27 Jan 2009
Coral reefs around the world are in serious trouble from pollution, over-fishing, climate change and more. The last thing they need is an infection. Just as a doctor can diagnose a child with chicken pox by the small, round bumps on her skin, you can tell a coral with yellow band disease (YBD) by its own characteristic markings. ...[more]

Scientific sub makes deep-sea discoveries off TasmaniaBy CSIRO,
7:59 AM Tue 20 Jan 2009
A four-week expedition to explore the deep ocean south-west of Tasmania has revealed new species of animals and more evidence of impacts of increasing carbon dioxide on deep-sea corals. ...[more]

Health of the Great Barrier Reef - You are invited to helpBy ARC Centre of Excellence Coral reef Studies,
9:54 PM Mon 19 Jan 2009
Tourists, holidaymakers, divers and tour operators have been invited to become ‘citizen scientists’ and help with a major health check-up for Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Coral health has been a focus of a major investigation by coral scientists from the nation’s leading research institutions over the past seven years, with upsurges in white syndrome and black band reported. ...[more]

King tides – a glimpse of future sea level riseBy CSIRO,
9:15 PM Sun 11 Jan 2009
Beach-goers will get a glimpse of what our coastlines may look like in 50 years, when New South Wales and South East Queensland experience the highest daytime ‘king tides’ forecast for 2009. ...[more]

Scientists Probe Enigma of Coral DeathBy Australian Centre of Excellence Coral Reef Studies, QLD ,
6:26 PM Wed 7 Jan 2009
With corals currently dying en masse in Indonesian waters and a significant risk of large scale coral bleaching deaths on Australian reefs in 2009, scientists are racing the clock to unravel the causes of these devastating global losses. ...[more]